Hyderabad: Back at it again, Private schools flout norms by selling expensive books

Hyderabad: It has become a routine practice of a few private and corporate schools in the city to flout norms of the Education department and pressurize parents to buy books and uniforms from schools this year. The schools have increased prices of the items by 20 percent.

As per rules of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Telangana State Board of Secondary Education, private schools should not force parents to buy expensive study material, books and uniforms from schools.

“But at the beginning of every academic year we see the same scenario in private schools forcing parents to buy uniforms and books from their premises and also sell them at more than MRP. This is happening because stern action is not taken by the department against private school that violate the norms, alleged parents.

“Even when parents are showing interest only in buying required textbooks, the schools have made it mandatory to buy the whole kit, including textbooks, notebooks and study material, which costs around Rs 10.000, stated Sunil Rao. parent of class VII student, who is studying in a corporate school,”.

He added that the same books if bought online would not cost more than Rs 7,000-8,000. “Schools are supposed to give names of three vendors. Instead, they are asking us to buy books from schools, which is not as per norms of the department.

“Recently we got a message from my children's school that their limited stock of books will be available till the month-end. We need to buy books. From last year the school increased the price by Rs 2,000, and also asked us to buy books and uniform from school itself. When the same books are available in market at a reasonable price why there is a need for burning our pockets and buy books from schools," said another parent, on the condition of anonymity.

Venkat Sainath, joint secretary, Hyderabad School Parents’ Association, said, “selling books and uniforms on school premises has become a business; schools managements are forcing students to buy books, uniforms and other stuff from schools. Every year parents are facing the same situation.

Laws should be strictly enforced in schools not to get involve in business. Till the government implements some norms it can’t be stopped. This is only happening in Telangana. In other States like Delhi, whenever any such activity is reported, stern action is taken.”